Happy Birthday, Heero
by Axisor
Summary: It's not really a romance in the mushy-mush lovey-dovey style. My first 'romance' so that should tell you something. It's a HY+RP, btw.... R&R (please!)! :þ


Happy Birthday, Heero

By: Axisor

Dedicated to Izzy, who I never would have written this if it weren't for her (so if it sucks-it's her fault-- LOL-- J/K Iz!).I apologize for any OOC moments right now. Please enjoy reading and write up some reviews (I really love them and they'll show my friends who was right in out bet).:þ

Disclaimer: I do not own anything mentioned in the story including characters and music.

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Heero came home-- completely _exhausted_.He had left home earlier just needing to get away and be by himself since everyone was acting out of sorts.So, he had left to relax and got caught up in three hours of rush hour, bumper-to-bumper highway traffic-- one of the most _stressful_ activities known to mankind.To make matters worse, the neighbors were having a party, if you were to judge by the number of cars on the street, and that just pushed the pilot past his limit."If this party ends up like last time, I'll do more than call the police--I don't care if Duo is over there."

He opened the door to utter blackness.Then there was a bright flash of light and "**_SURPRISE_**!!!"His right hand reached back for his gun... and found a _hand?_The hand slipped into his, squeezed, and Relena moved in front to give a smiling, "Happy Birthday, Heero."

"Birthday?"

"Well, yeah, birthday-boy," Duo said laughingly."We figured you had to have one... although I still have my doubts that you're human sometimes."

"Since we didn't know when it really was, Miss Relena chose a day."Quatre inputted politely.

Heero put on an "Oh, Really" face which made Relena shyly say, "I figured the day your... uh... shuttle first landed on Earth was a good day."

"Shuttle?"Trowa nodded his head away from the group and stepped back to reveal a whole group of people that Heero definitely didn't know."Who--?

"We each invited friends to make this a REAL party," Duo said, turning to mingle in the crowd already turning back to the fun.

Relena gently tugged Heero's hand and said, "Come on, Heero, I'll introduce you to everyone."By the end of his 'tour of duty', his head was almost literally spinning from all those introductions. He only remembered two new people by the end of the night and only because they stayed near him most of the night while he sat with the other pilots-- minus Duo who was off being a 'lady's man,' though mainly with Hilde.

One was a black haired, green-eyed girl who spent most of the evening on the couch talking with Quatre; her name was Izzy.The other was a dark-brown haired girl with green-brown eyes who literally pulled him away from Relena and forced him to sit on the other couch saying, "Relax, birthday boy.If you get any more stressed, you'll do yourself major damage," then proceeded to administer a back rub to him.

"Injustice, Heero.Injustice," Wufei said shaking his head and crossing his arms."A great fighter like you listening to a weak woman like her."

"Who are you calling weak... buddy?"The girl said as her thumbs and palms pressed firmly into the shoulders of a bewildered Heero.He knew that she was right-- he was likely to hurt himself by pulling something, but it was more than likely that he'd hurt someone else if he became anymore stressed.

"Axisor--" Izzy said sharply."No fighting... _remember_?"The only verbal response she received was a low, quiet, short growl from deep in the girl's throat.Heero could tell how angry or upset... or at least annoyed, this girl was at being reminded of that fact.He not only heard the response up close and personal, though, but felt it as well.Her aggression was being taken out on his stress with her palms and fingers pressing deeper into his tense muscles forcing them to relax.As much as he probably hated to admit it, the back rub did feel good-- which is why he leaned back into it even more-- but something just didn't feel quite right about the whole situation.

Relena saw Heero lean back into this stranger-girl's hands and just about screamed._How dare she try and take _her_ guy!_Relena was about to go up and slap Izzy's friend just like she had Treize's daughter, but Izzy got up off the couch-- smiling politely at Quatre-- and asked Relena to help her with something.Relena went with her since her sudden flare of jealousy clouded her mind from coming up with a halfway decent diplomatic excuse to stay.

When they arrived in the kitchen, Izzy turned to her friend and said, "Hey-- what's wrong?"

"What?Nothing," Relena said, making herself busy with making a sandwich.

"Something's bugging you," Izzy said stopping her. "And it has something to do with Axisor and your boy Heero."

"He's not mine."She replied quickly-- almost _too_ quickly.

Izzy let out a sigh and rolled her eyes."Whatever.I just wanted to tell you that you don't have to worry about my friend.Axisor doesn't have eyes on the birthday boy-- someone kind of similar, but different too."

"OH?" Relena said perking up and all ready for a good line of gossip."Who then?"

"If I had to guess... I'd say it was the quiet boy hiding behind those gravity-defying bangs."

"_Trowa_?"Relena cried in disbelief as she led the way out of the kitchen and back to the group."Wow... that's different."

Izzy sat down next to Quatre and whispered something into his ear.His eyes just about bugged out of his head at what he heard.Then for the next few moments in time the only thing he could seem to do was look around at everyone then whisper 'secretly,' or so he thought, to Izzy "Are you sure?" who would nod in reply.Finally after doing this four or five times and when everyone was at the point where they were going to yell, "_YES, SHE'S SURE!_"__Quatre turned to Trowa and asked him to talk with him off to the side.

When the two returned, a nervous-- because he had never done anything like this before-- Trowa asked Axisor to dance.As the two of them went off, Relena was getting ready to slip into Axisor's vacated back rubbing spot.Just as she was about to take that vital first step forward, her target was intercepted by a girl with roughly the same objective-- Heero Yuy.The girl told him, "Come on b-day boy-- it's your obligation as the party's subject to dance with anyone who asks."Then she proceeded to drag a very confused Heero off to the dance floor.

Relena watched furiously as girl after girl dance with Heero.She couldn't believe it.Some of those girls were her friends, too.She just couldn't believe it.She felt betrayed.Surely they had to know that he was _hers_.How could they not?Except... hadn't she just told Izzy, "He's not mine"?How many times had she said those words, and words along those very same lines, to her friends?How many?She couldn't even begin to count the number of times, but she only said that because they weren't "going out" or an "item" per say, but he had to have some feelings for her... _right?_

He was always protecting and rescuing her.He also had stopped threatening to kill her... but he also said he wasn't going to kill anymore... and he could have just saved her because she was a politician on "his side."He had to know she needed... cared for... _loved_ him.She had followed him around the world after all, right?But then again, that was over two years ago... and people's feeling can change over time-- but she couldn't remember ever doing anything that would tell... or show him that they had.But she also hadn't really done much to show him that they _hadn't_.That could be why he might have thought her feelings had changed.

She was sure he wasn't a mind reader, although that would explain a few things if he was, so he couldn't know how she felt.She didn't remember ever coming out and saying how she felt about him... at least not to his face... and definitely not recently, she was reasonably sure of that.He should have figured that out on his own, anyway; he's really smart, after all.Besides, if he felt the same way about her then she didn't have to tell him, and if he didn't then there was no reason for her to embarrass herself by telling him.Except... he's not used to emotions.Oh, he said that there was nothing wrong with following your emotions, but he seemed to have the emotions of a stone most of the time.Heero probably wouldn't know what to do with a real strong pure emotion like love.That would be one emotion he probably wouldn't know how to act on."Which is why I need to do it," she resolved, whispering to herself.

She looked right at Heero, who was surrounded by girls out on the dance floor and didn't even seem to notice her standing there.Relena took two steps out on the floor, stopped, turned around, and began to walk back to the couches."But not tonight," she muttered weakening her resolve."There's too many people and I'd be too embarrassed if I was wrong.I don't need to be embarrassed tonight... not with that meeting tomorrow."

She stopped at a mirror as she passed it to examine her reflection.There was something different which had caught her eye.What Relena saw was an overstressed girl on the verge of tears instead of her usual confident self.She looked very confused and helpless... but in such a way that if she received even the smallest of signs she'd be herself again."Or just some quiet time to think alone," Relena sighed and continued with her path to the couches.

When she arrived, pangs of envy and sorrow hit her like arrows through her heart.The sight was just too much for her.Her friends Izzy and Quatre were cuddled together on a couch listening to Trowa play his flute.Even Trowa, for whom it took a lot to be emotional, had slight curves at the corners of his lips as he played.The eye his bangs weren't covering was a fountain of love as he looked into the joyous eyes of Axisor.Relena could tell those two really hit it off as Axisor laid on the floor at his feet listening the melody.The wonderfully complex but somehow simple tune brought Relena to the threshold of tears from all the love it contained.The song, though, only reflected the atmosphere of the room.

As Relena looked around, she felt like an invader.She was the only unpaired person present.Wufei had left sometime while Relena was watching Heero only to be replaced by Duo and Hilde, as well as some other couples who had found their way to the room.Relena quietly crept over to the couch and crouched to whisper quickly, "I have to go.Tell everyone goodnight and wish Heero 'Happy Birthday' for me."

"Relena-- you're _leaving_?"Izzy asked startled."You can't stay?"

"Yes--no.I- I have a meeting-- a video conference... with... the L-1 colony in the morning."She then turned and practically fled the room.As soon as she arrived outside, Pagan went to get the car.Relena stood outside in the dewy grass, becoming very annoyed with her brother Millardo who had insisted on her being driven to and from the party.What Relena didn't realize, and Millardo probably never would have suspected was that if he hadn't insisted so hard that Relena agreed, a crucial pivotal moment in time might never have occurred.It's amazing how that one little detail was a starting link in a chain of events that could change the world forever, and they probably never realized that fact.See, if Relena had driven herself, she wouldn't have been there when Heero came out too say goodnight and thank her so the following scene never would have occurred.

Heero came out and saw Relena standing in the wet grass.He came up behind her, stealthily out of habit, and saw a lone tear trail down her face and heard her give a slight sniff.His hand reached out to use the second and third knuckles to gently removed the tear and cooed, "Oh, Relena... What's wrong?"

_"Heero!"_She said with her shock clear in her voice.She quickly collected herself to add, "What are you doing out here?Why aren't you inside enjoying the party?"

"I heard you were leaving.I wanted to say goodnight," he replied seriously as Pagan pulled up with the limo.

"Oh... Goodnight then... Wait!I almost forgot completely."She ran to the door Pagan held open and grabbed something off the seat."You can get in, Pagan.I can let myself in."He said something in reply and left.Once he was back inside the vehicle, she turned around and keeping her hands where he couldn't see them, Relena said, "Here's your present, Heero."Next she held out her hands, which contained a small decorative box.

"_Present?_I've never received a-- a birthday present before," he said softly as he took the box and slowly opened the lid, reminding Relena of a bomb-squad member opening a bomb's casing.Heero put the lid on the bottom of the box and slowly-- carefully removed the contents, just adding to the image-- then furthering it by thoroughly examining the machine.

When he didn't say anything right away, Relena's eyes dropped to her shoes."It's a PalmPilot(r)... so you don't always have to carry around your laptop... I even had extra memory put in it for you."

"I can see that.Thank you, Relena."Heero said in the usual monotone voice.Relena was sure that he would love the gift, but he certainly didn't sound as if he had, though.Her surprise caused her to look up and search his face to find nothing different-- except there was something in his eyes, which caused her to examine them, closer.

Upon further examination, Relena did find something-- the very something that she was looking for-- and whispered so softly that even Heero couldn't hear her, "The sign."She breathed in a deep breath and stepped forward, closer to Heero."I have-- I've something else to give you, Heero-- but it's not a birthday present... not really.I've been meaning to give it to you since-- for awhile now and... and I-- this is the best time I've found so far."

Before he had a chance to say or do anything, Relena swiftly closed the gap between them and her arms seemed to instantaneously wrap around his neck.With skill she didn't know she possessed, Relena tilted her head and deftly made contact between their lips.She tightened her arms, bringing them even closer.

Relena was trying to relay to her Heero her feelings for him.She conveyed her anger at the other girls for trying to have his affection.She passed on her thankfulness for all he's done for her.She tried to even put in how much she worries about him.Most of all, though, Relena expressed her jealous love for him in that kiss, which led to a series of kisses on her part with almost the same degree of emotional fervor.

She knew she had found the right moment-- the perfect moment-- to tell... well, _express_, to her feeling for this young man.What she had found in his eyes on her first look were respect and appreciation, which was expected.There was also a sign of genuine care.That was what she examined further and found to be the true seed of love.The first kiss was to nurture that seed, and the rest were for those that she couldn't see but still knew were there.The eyes are only the windows to the soul, after all, and windows don't let you see every inch of the room on the other side._Besides_, knowing Heero like she did, he probably had the shade pulled partially down, but where you can see part of a plant through a window, you know that the rest of it is there wanting someone to help it grow.You also know the plant wants the same someone to chase away the shadows of doubt blocking its sunlight for growth.It was those shadows that convinced her she needed to step in-- to step in before the shadows killed the plant and seeds.

Finally, she let him go, though.He needed time to think now, and she did have an important meeting the following day.Very softly, the young woman said, "Goodnight Heero.I hope you had a happy birthday," and kissed him gently on his cheek.Then the Vice-Foreign Minister of Earth got into her limo and off it drove, leaving a _very_ surprised Gundam pilot standing in the grass.

His right hand came up to his lips and gently touched them.He was having trouble believing what just happened had happened, but his lips told him otherwise as they still felt some last lingering traces of Relena's and tingled all over.She had caught him _completely_ off guard, one of the few times in his life that had ever happened before.

He was also caught completely unprepared.He was pretty sure he hadn't been kissed before-- and most definitely never like that before.When Aden Lowe had assassin-trained him as he grew up, Aden certainly never kissed him goodnight and Dr. J didn't have kissing on his list of thing that a soldier needed to know.It wasn't dire in either profession, so he never was or taught how.

Heero hoped that Relena wouldn't hold the fact that he hadn't kissed back against him.He had been caught up in the wonder of the whole thing.There was the natural wonder that came along with a first kiss.There was also the wonder of how she started the kiss, how she deepened it, how she gave it more meaning than a kiss had a right to have, how sensual she had made it, and how completely honest she was being with him.There was the wonder of how suddenly with that one simple act everything clicked and made sense, too.Heero finally understood why he had saved her, protected her, and watched over her, why he had put up with her and her ideas that directly opposed his at times, and why he could never pull the trigger.He _loved_ her.

Relena had pulled away and said goodnight just as he built up the courage to respond; he just over came his fear of shattering the moment forever by responding.As he watched the limo's taillights disappear in the darkness, the spell Relena had spun on him finally broke completely and he was able to move again.He ran after the limo in a futile attempt to catch it, stopping under a streetlight to yell, "Relena!" then softly utter, "Aishiteru."

Who knows how long he stood there before Duo came outside and saw Heero in the middle of the street.He came up and clapped Heero hard on the shoulder receiving a dark scowl in reply."Come on in.Your party is still going strong."Silently Heero followed his friend inside.Just before they entered, Duo asked, "Heero, I found this in the grass... is it yours?"

In his hand was the box with the PalmPilot(r), a present from Relena.Heero looked at the party inside, another present from Relena.He then realized that his birthday, too, was a present from Relena because he really didn't know when his was.All those had been fully planned out beforehand-- before he received them-- but the gift he would truly treasure forever was the one she had decided spontaneously to give him."Yeah, Duo.It's mine.Let's go inside."

As they entered, the lyrics "and she was able... to move the immovable... _Oh yeah_... and she was able to make the impossible... to make the impossible-- _possible_..." floated out onto the street.

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So how did I do?This was my first romance (and maybe my last since I know it can't possibly stack up against other stuff out there), which I'm sure you can tell.Please tell me how I did.My e-mail address is:

[Axisor02@hotmail.com][1]

Thanx!Axisor:þ

P.S. I never could understand why Trowa and Heero (or at least Heero) are usually written as experts on relationships when they probably never had a real one.They were training to kill and fight before the war so there wasn't much time FOR dating, and we do know they didn't date DURING the course of the show.Quatre might know something about dating from his sisters.Duo definitely does, just by judging the way he talks (and the fact that he's American!)I hope there is someone who can clear this up for me.I just thought I'd explain why I took the stand (the untraditional stand) that I took in this fanfiction.

And that song is by The Urge and it's called "Four Letters and Two Words" and it's on their "Too Much Stereo" CD

   [1]: mailto:Axisor02@hotmail.com



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